Tanning Mom Case Sent To Grand Jury

Authorities have referred the case of the New Jersey mother mom accused of taking her young daughter into a
tanning booth to a grand jury.

Patricia Krentcil was previously scheduled to appear in court today for a hearing on a child endangerment charge. That hearing was canceled once the case was sent to the grand jury.

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The 44-year-old, who is bronzed-colored from frequent tanning, has pleaded not guilty.

Krentcil is accused of taking her daughter, who was 5 at the time, into a tanning booth in April. Krentcil said her daughter's burn came from the sun on an unusually warm day and that she would never take the girl into a tanning booth.

The case can now go in a number of directions. The  grand jury  indict Krentcil on the charges, or if it fails to indict, the case will be dismissed. Prosecutors may also offer a plea deal, in which a defendant usually admits to some level of guilt in exchange for a reduced charge.

It's against New Jersey law for anyone under 14 to use a tanning booth.

The case has thrust Krentcil into the national spotlight with a Saturday Night Live parody, being chased by TMZ and becoming synonymous with the debate over tanning in the New Jersey Legislature. She was also banned from many of the salons where she had tanned because of the bad light she cast on the salon industry.

Recent appearances have been cut short by her college-age daughter who has pulled her mom away from the camera.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.